Pitt County Mom Talks About CMA "Song Of The Year" That Honors Her Fallen Son

It was an emotional moment when the winner was announced Wednesday night for the Country Music Association's "Song of The Year."

That's because the inspiration for Lee Brice's "I Drive Your Truck," was Army Soldier Jared Monti, a 1st Class Sergeant who died in combat in Afghanistan in 2006 and was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2009.

His family lives in Pitt County.

His mom Janet Monti says, "Somebody heard an interview with Jared's dad and someone asked him how he keeps his memory alive."

Jared's sister Nicole Alicea says his dad's answer was, "Driving his truck everyday got him through the day and it really touched that song writer, and they got together and found Lee Brice and wrote the song and it just took off."

Monti served in Afghanistan for about a year and on June 25, 2006, he attempted to rescue one of his men and was killed.

Family members say Monti was mortally wounded by an RPG, but he lived a short time and his last words were, "I've made my peace with God and tell my family I love them."

Janet says the song is about others as well. "Sheryl Patrick her son was killed in the same battle as my son she drives his truck, Rhonda Bradberry drives her son's truck, he was the one who was killed when the stretcher fell there were so many people who when they found out what the song was about how they drive their sons truck as well."

That song was released in December of last year and reached number 1 on the charts just a few months later.

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